St. Clair Hospital resumes elective testing, procedures
St. Clair Hospital this week resumed elective testing and diagnostic procedures for patients at its main campus and its Village Square Outpatient Center in Bethel Park. Elective surgeries will resume May 11.
The resumption of all medically necessary care follows guidance, issued by the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health April 27, that hospitals across the state can resume the performance of elective care while considering a “roadmap” issued by American Hospital Association in conjunction with several medical and nursing professional associations.
In a communication sent May 6, St. Clair recommended to its patients that essential medical care not be further delayed and outlined numerous actions the hospital is taking to keep its patients safe. Key among the actions is the use of screening and testing protocols developed by its clinical experts with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as St. Clair’s clinical partner, Mayo Clinic.
Other key actions address steps to maintain a clean and safe environment, continued restrictions on visitors, promotion of social distancing and the use of masks and other personal protection equipment to safeguard patients and staff.
Also, as of May 4, St. Clair’s affiliated multispecialty group, St. Clair Medical Services, resumed providing routine in-office care, along with its continued use of telemedicine. St. Clair Medical Services has more than 130 physicians in the group, practicing at more than 35 sites across the South Hills. The offices likewise will have enhanced protections for returning patients.
By Harry Funk – Reporter, The Almanac